What is TOPSoccer?
TOPSoccer (The Outreach Program for Soccer) is a recreational soccer program for any child or teen ages 4-19 who has any disability. From the US Youth Soccer website: "There are thousands of children with disabilities who need—and can be provided with—the opportunity to play soccer through the TOPSoccer program." Pittsburgh Dynamo is proud to be a supporter of this very special program.
A TOPSoccer overview from coordinators, parents, players, and buddies.
The goal of Dynamo's TOPSoccer program is to instill the same benefits as in our Recreational and Travel programs—soccer skill, knowledge, and sportsmanship—but for individuals that need some form of accommodation or support to succeed. We currently aim to have at least two TOPSoccer sessions each year (one in late fall, and one in early spring) but may consider summer opportunities as well depending on interest and feasibility.
The TOPSoccer Model
One of the most important aspects of the design of TOPSoccer is the 1:1 Buddy support system. Each TOPSoccer participant is assigned a Buddy at the start of the season, and that Buddy will be with the athlete for the entire season. Buddies are often high-school-aged volunteers who have experience with soccer and work with the TOPSoccer coordinator and the player's family to adapt any drills or games as needed for their athlete. More importantly, the Player and the Buddy develop a relationship over the course of the season that often both find rewarding.
TOPSoccer sessions often look like a typical soccer practice: warmup, a skill drill or two, then some form of a game or scrimmage at the end. Throughout the session, each player will have the support of their Buddy as needed to participate in a meaningful way.
An example of what a TOPSoccer program may look like.
Can my child participate?
We aim to be as welcoming as possible to a variety of players, so in general: yes, absolutely! If you're not sure whether TOPSoccer or our more traditional Rec League is the right place for your child, please contact us ([email protected]) and we'll be happy to help you figure this out.
General Season Details
Each season runs 6-8 weeks, usually meeting once per week on a weeknight for one hour. (This may vary depending on availability of facilities.) Traditionally the location has been at the JCC in Squirrel Hill.
A minimal fee ($15) is charged per player to cover insurance and PA West registration costs. If a family cannot afford this, a sponsor will be found for the player so no one is turned away. We don't want cost to be a barrier.
Getting Involved
While official registration links will be set up before each season, please feel free to reach out to us if your family has interest in signing up as a player for our TOPSoccer program.
If you know of an older player (often teenager) who is interested in becoming a volunteer TOPSoccer Buddy, please also reach out to us! This is a great opportunity for those who love the game to give back meaningfully to the Pittsburgh soccer community.
Likewise, if you know of any adults who would be interested in volunteering to administer or coach in the program, please let us know.
Email Address: [email protected]